Ask MF: Mounting an External GPS
This week’s Ask MF comes from James:
I have a Clubman. Where is the best, safest place to mount an external GPS? I find that the windshield suction cup mount takes up too much area of the windshield and blocking too much. I’ve thought of using the dashboard weighted pad but am not too keen on that. Is there a mount that comes up from the cup holder? I’ve tried the suction cup on the inside of the sunroof but it’s too far from the windshield. Anyone have a good solution?
There are a number of solutions out there to choose from. For a time MINI actually had their own mounts that worked with the MINI branded Nuvi 360. Speaking of the Garmin Nuvi, we particularly like Cravenspeed’s Nuvi mount that attaches to the tach directly in front of the steering wheel.
However we’d like to turn this over to our intrepid readers. What have you found to be the best solution? Sound off in the comment section below.
<p>I found it very convinient to mount satnav suction cup right onto the speedo in the middle. I have the electronic speedo on the tach, so I rarely look onto the analogue one. And it gets rid of the power cables getting in the way.</p>
<p>The Cravenspeed mount looks nice, and I still see the MINI tach mount at the dealership (but <em>please</em> don’t buy their outdated and wicked expensive Garmin nuvi!). I haven’t looked at the MINI mount, but I think it might be possible to replace the part that actually clamps onto the GPS with one from a newer (cheaper!) nuvi.</p>
<p>This image shows my old Garmin 2610 mounted on the Panavise inDash bracket in my R53.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blalor/52764611/" title="IMG_4105 by blalor, on Flickr" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/31/52764611_82908d14bd_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="IMG_4105" /></a></p>
<p>It appears that Panavise does make a bracket for the Clubman, but I’m not sure it looks as clean as the R53 part. <a href="http://www.panavise.com/index.html?pageid=1&cart=123626191413451&id1=30&--wosectionsdatarq=30&indashaction=--sfpn&__idpartum=75146-108" rel="nofollow">75146-108</a></p>
<p>I have a Kuda mount, which mounts on the top left of the speedo just above the air vent. The best part is that it actually fits in very well and has a factory look to it. There are quite a few threads on North American Motoring regarding the mount and how to install it.</p>
<p>Having said that, I don’t have it installed because I use my GPS in the car so infrequently that I either use the suction cup mount, or just sit it in the cubby below the switch pack in the center console (the Nuvi 360 sits very well here)</p>
<p>Some may say it’s not the safest, but I have a center dash speedometer and I mount my GPS using the suction cup mount to the lower portion of the speedometer so that only the lower portion is covered up – my speed is still clearly visible.</p>
<p>I like the Cravenspeed tach mount. Reasobnable cost, easy to install, solid and well-made, and positions the Nuvi in a place convenience to see and use. I use it with a Nuvi 760.</p>
<p>When I do need to use one, which is very seldom, I use my wife’s Garmin.</p>
<p>I simply use the suction cup provided by Garmin and place it in the lowest part of the left hand side of the windscreen, barely above the dash, as low as I can get it. Seems simple enough. It’s out of my forward sight line, easily seen, and easily available if I need to change the sound level or just turn the damn thing off.</p>
<p>Why would one need to have it in the middle of the windscreen? For me it’s all about the verbal prompts anyway. I only look at the screen when I get a “Stay left, then right” confusing prompt that seems to involve commuter lanes which are near overpasses.</p>
<p>Other than the safety issue of looking at a map while driving I don’t get the fascination with them. Too much visual clutter for me.</p>
<p>In Kalifornia we have a law that states this:</p>
<p>1) Within a “seven-inch square in the lower corner of the windshield” on the passenger side, says the law.</p>
<p>In other words, if you draw a line seven inches up from the bottom of the windshield on the far lower right, and another line seven inches from the right side, the mount must fit within that box.</p>
<p>2) Within a “five-inch square in the lower corner” on the driver’s side.</p>
<p>I just stick the suction cup on my Nuvi 205W to the top of my speedo…I get my speed from the OBC display on the tach…</p>
<p>I looked pretty widely after I got my GPS and I did not find anything I thought was satisfactory. There is one custom mount that requires you to disassemble the speedo pod to mount it: Kuda
<a href="http://www.kudausa.com/kuda_mount_and_holder_for_mini_mini_cooper_since_2007-34-529.html" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.kudausa.com/kuda_mount_and_holder_for_mini_mini_cooper_since_2007-34-529.html</a>
and somebody on Nam had posted about mounting this in their car:
<a href="http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/interior-exterior/110837-installing-a-kuda-mount-in-the-r56.html" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/interior-exterior/110837-installing-a-kuda-mount-in-the-r56.html</a></p>
<p>Pro Clip makes a mount the clips on below the secret compartment, but to me the GPS is too far out of line of site:
<a href="http://www.proclipusa.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.proclipusa.com/</a></p>
<p>And then there are the manufacturers of various suction cup mounts – you may find one that is better than the unit that came with your GPS:
<a href="http://www.arkon.com/mountingpedestal.php?selFeat=amps" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.arkon.com/mountingpedestal.php?selFeat=amps</a></p>
<p>and Richter the mother of all suction cup mounts:
<a href="http://www.hr-navicomfort.de/news.php?bild=12" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.hr-navicomfort.de/news.php?bild=12</a></p>
<p>I have a Clubman also, and I put my Nuvi to the left of the steering wheel, on the windshield, using the supplied suction holder. It’s out of the direct line sight, and I can bury all wires under the dash all the way to the power source. When I need to look at the screen, I just have to look over a few inches, hardly taking my eyes off the road.</p>
<p>You may want to check the laws in your home state. I live in Los Angeles and California law states that a portable GPS device can’t be on the windshield except in a 5 inch square at the lower left corner or a 7 inch square on the lower right corner. You can mount it ON the dash, like with a pod mount. The picture of the Nuvi on the BMW 330i would be an illegal installation and subject to a ticket in CA. That said, no one obeys the hands-free or no texting cell phone laws either and the CHP writes relatively few tickets for any of these infractions.</p>
<p>I opted to go with the ProClip system versus the Kuda due to the positioning making it impossible for the passenger to use the gps.</p>
<p>Proclip’s bracket places the gps to the right side of the console which makes it easy to glance at it for the driver and directly in front of the passenger/navigator.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.proclipusa.com/?sectionpath=144&pageid=12794&processor=content&pcategoryid=13368&categoryid=17187&p_origin=144&p_sectionid=144&p_pageid=8901&p_processor=asp&p_asp_processor=product&p_action=proclipcategorysearch&p_ppagecategoryid=13872&p_pagecategoryid=14172&p_pcategoryid=13368&p_categoryid=17187&p_sitecategoryid=&p_year=&p_countryid=0&p_leftorright=" rel="nofollow">Proclip angled mount</a> is one of the bases for the Mini dashboard and then you can select whatever holder matches your device.</p>
<p>Beware that GPS thieves look for traces of the suction cups in the windshield to “alert them” of the possibility that a portable NAV is stored inside the car. Big problem here in Miami.</p>
<p>Not sure where you live but CA law says that you must place a GPS device in either of the bottom left or bottom right corners. I have mine on the driver’s side since if it was on the other side I couldn’t see it or manipulate it.</p>
<p>Of course CA law says a lot of things that people and the CHP take no notice of.</p>
<p>Another Kuda dash mount here –</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Positives: real OEM factory look; convenience of line-of-sight and proximity to right hand</p></li>
<li><p>Negatives: price; easily visible from outside meaning higher vandalism risk to your MINI in moderate-to-high theft threat locations</p></li>
</ul>
<p>I have mine mounted in the upper left corner of the windshield. I ran the power down through the A pillar to a lighter socket under the dash. It works wonderfully! When you turn the car off, the unit turns off in 30 seconds, and when you start the car the GPS unit turns on. It’s a very finished and “installed” feeling.</p>
<p>technically, an “external” GPS would be mounted on the outside of the car. which wouldn’t be very practical.</p>
<p>I find the windsheild curves too much at the side and the suction cup will not stick, so I’ve just always put it in the center.</p>
<p>I’m not a big fan of the suction cup on the window so I got the ProClip for my R56. I think it works well and the style I have allows for MP3 players and phones. The location makes it easy to reach for both driver and passenger.</p>
<p>Before I got my MINI bracket installed I would mount (hang) it from the sunroof. As close to front as possible and it was just a quick glance up from the rear view mirror.</p>
<p>This will not work in a convertible (hee).</p>
<p>@<a href="#comment-254571" rel="nofollow">Dean</a>: I can second this comment, I had the same bracket from Cravenspeed as well as the same GPS model.</p>
<p>I went with the Craven Speed bracket and Nuvi mount. It is easy to install and very solid. The Nuvi is located between the tach and speedo above the air vent.</p>
<p>Watch this space MINI are designing a new bracket that is built into the rev counter</p>
<p>Great topic everyone. I especially enjoyed the suggestions to mount the suction cup to the big speedo in the middle. Great idea!</p>
<p>Garmin announced a new MINI mount at CEBIT a few days ago:
<a href="http://garmin.blogs.com/my_weblog/2009/03/automotive-oems-look-to-garmin.html" rel="nofollow ugc">http://garmin.blogs.com/my_weblog/2009/03/automotive-oems-look-to-garmin.html</a></p>
<p>As soon as I get my hands on one from the warehouse, I will provide details and pictures.</p>
<p>I am using the KUDA mount in my 06 JCW and it so solidly fixed in place. I have no problem in it moving or obstructing my view while doing the twisties in the North GA mountains.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your responses to my question. (My first posting to this group) I think I’ll need to use my GPS to navigate through all of them. Glad to see I wasn’t the only one who thought of hanging it from the inside of the sunroof.</p>
<p>don’t know if youd seen this but you can get a mounting bracket for behind the rev counter ant mini-do-more</p>
<p><a href="http://www.minidomore.com/interior_accessories/mini_cooper_ipod_mount.php" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.minidomore.com/interior_accessories/mini_cooper_ipod_mount.php</a></p>
<p>For my ’06 R50, I had my dealership install the MINI bracket mount – nice clean design (no visible cables) and great position to the left of the tach. I then found a Garmin NUVI 360 on craigslist for substantially less than the MINI branded Garmin available from MINI. I was able to download the MINI splash screen and directional icons from the internet – it was great fun to be able to locate an icon which is identical to my pure silver MINI with sunroof!</p>
<p>I have been mounting my Nuvi 360 to the face of the speedo, over the 100 plus mph range. I figure if I am going that fast I’m better off not knowing how fast I am going, it might scare me.</p>
<p>With it mounted there it is close enough to be reached by the driver or the passenger. It leaves no tell-tale ring on the windshield, reducing the possibility of a breakin, and the power cord is routed around the back of the center stack leg, out of the way of everything, even the CD player.</p>
<p>No problems with reception.</p>
<p>Same as Bilbo Bagins, no issues and “IF” you would go over the 100 mph mark you can always check the MAX SPEED that is saved on most the Garmins.</p>
<p>I’ve tried a lot of different mounts in from my Garmin Nuvi in an R53 and of them all the Craven mount places the unit in the best place both to see and operate. Suction cups lose their suction after time and all the other mounts take up to much real estate in a MINI.</p>
<p>Another vote for the KUDA mount here. It basically puts the NUVI in the same location as a factory NAV, just a little higher, so I don’t see how there would be a problem with it. Most people see it and think it’s a factory install.</p>
<p><a href="http://pwrmacjack.com/MINIBee/Photos/ipod2.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc">http://pwrmacjack.com/MINIBee/Photos/ipod2.jpg</a></p>
<p>I dont know what the fuss is all about. Who would mount it on windshield in area obstructing forward view anyways ?</p>
<p>Mount it up by the rearview Mirror for petes sake! That is where mine is and I NEVER have to take my eyes to the left, right down or up to see the darn thing.</p>
<p>It doesnt obstruct any more “VIEW” than that does, and if they give you a hard time about that, then MAYBE THEY NEED TO REMOVE ALL REARVIEW MIRRORS TOO!</p>